6 Super Summer Writing Tips

May 10, 2019
Written by:
Guest Author
Elementary Homeschool, Homeschool Language Arts, Homeschool Resources, Summer Fun

 

Ahhh, welcome summer! Summer means vacation time for most students; but the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer don’t have to mean that the hard-earned writing skills your students developed throughout the school year will simply fade away and be forgotten. Keep students motivated and make a splash with these easy summer writing tips for your homeschool.

Create Personalized Assignments

First, create personalized writing assignments that tap into your students’ passions. What are your kids’ current interests and hobbies? Perhaps you have a budding scientist who’s fascinated by bugs. Help him transform his love for insects into The Ultimate Guide to Creepy-Crawlies. Maybe your daughter plays guitar. Does she dream of becoming a famous songwriter? Writing song lyrics will be music to her ears. Putting your kids’ passions to work not only motivates them to create, but also lets them learn more about the things they love in the process. That’s definitely a win-win!

Keep Assignments Short

Short writing assignments will make a big splash with your kids. In fact, short assignments are like tune-ups for your students and fit in easily between picnics and pool time. Your kids won’t feel overwhelmed; and, in this digitally connected world, they can be completed almost anywhere.  

A single descriptive paragraph, a poem (try a haiku, an acrostic poem, or a sonnet), a blog post, a letter to a pen pal, an online book review, or a creative July 4th celebration invitation are great little nuggets of writing with big potential for keeping skills sharp. Simply add these into your summer schedule a few times per week.

Write for a Cause

Young writers are just beginning to discover who they are and what they believe. Talk about ways your student can contribute to a cause that is dear to his or her heart while helping to make a difference in the world. Here are a few great options:

  • Be a blogger for a local animal shelter
  • Help write and edit the summer newsletter and/or website for a museum, nature center, or the public library
  • Write letters to military men and women deployed overseas

For older writers, this experience could even be a stepping stone to a part-time job.

Harness the Power of Persuasion

Desire is a strong motivator. In fact, personal desires make excellent persuasive essay topics. Does your son bug you day and night to get a pet? A pool? Does your tween daughter regularly plead her case to stay home alone? Encourage writers to lobby for their own cause while fine tuning their writing skills.  

Write Your Family Story

Dig in and uncover your family’s roots this summer. Learning about your family’s unique heritage is both exciting and meaningful; plus, this activity combines history, geography, and writing. Spark interest with old family photos and share stories passed down through generations. Encourage your writers to think creatively as they dig into their research, keeping in mind that there are a variety of ways to tell a story. Need a little inspiration? Consider the following:   

  • A scrapbook project with short blurbs to accompany family photos
  • A collection of short biographies about interesting relatives
  • A family recipe book with notes about each recipe’s history

Focus on Strengths

This is a great time to play to your writers’ strengths—confident writers are typically more eager to get to work. Focus on single concepts such as vocabulary enrichment for your logophile, or word lover, or descriptive writing for the writer with a keen eye for detail. Maybe you have a natural storyteller. Give him or her the freedom to put their everyday anecdotes into short narratives.

Summer writing doesn’t have to mean endless hours of work for your students. You can keep their skills sharp with quick and inspiring ideas like these and still have plenty of time to play and relax before getting back into full-time homeschooling. And don’t forget, if you’re looking for a more in-depth option for your kids.

 

#HOMESCHOOL LANGUAGE ARTS, #HOMESCHOOL WRITING